Guess you’re an ESPN guy, right? Well, good thing Fox is still covering sports in the midwest.

Anyone else out there notice that all the ESPN channels quit covering baseball after the Yankees finally faded away? You can still see Yankee retrospectives on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN News just about every hour or so, but the rest of baseball? They’ve lost interest.

Hmmmm . . . Maybe that’s why most of the regional games ESPN airs in the Mid-West are Yankees and Red Sox games. I hear they have a team in Detroit now.

Best fans in baseball, the farm system, what it means to wear the birds on the bat, rookies coming thru.

i am a Cards fan, no doubt about that. But when I drank the koolaid I didn’t get a fatal dose.

I do think StL has a great chance again this year. If the only stat that stays the same during post season is RISP they win it all. But it won’t be easy

]]>By: markofaprohttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586337
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 02:14:22 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586337The Cardinal way…dominates again.
]]>By: redbirdfan81http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586335
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 02:11:29 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586335Please post the correct record, 97-65, not 75 losses. Those extra 10 games mean a lot. Now to win 11 games before anybody else and secure our 12th World Series title! Go Cards Go!
]]>By: gibbyfanhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586325
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 02:04:04 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586325what about the problems Waino has with the Reds—would rather see them face the Pirates
]]>By: jm91rshttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586320
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 01:52:51 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586320Who are you guys kidding? You know you’re hoping the reds luck into a win against the pirates. The way they have been in September they’re the easy out in the NL. I think they’ll beat the pirates just so they can embarrass themselves in a sweep.
]]>By: spudchukarhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586291
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 01:20:44 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586291You are probably right. But in my heart of hearts I fear the Braves the least. They are tough when ahead late, but I just don’t believe their starters are as intimidating, and their OBP is weak, and history hasn’t favored teams that rely on the home run in the play-offs.
]]>By: paperlionshttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586262
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:27:57 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586262At this point, there are 5 good teams left, each of which have some high quality starters….the 5 teams left are 1st through 5th in the NL in starter ERA with 4 of the teams starters having ERAs between 3.42 and 3.52….those numbers are indicative of the quality and depth of the starting options for each of the teams….there really aren’t any easy advancements in the NL this year….each team is going to have to earn each and every victory.
]]>By: missingdizhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586257
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:12:05 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586257Oops. No, in a 5 game series probably Kershaw twice but Greinke just once. Still I think it’s better to go 7 with the Dodgers.
]]>By: missingdizhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586251
Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:05:36 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586251You’re still snubbing the Braves–not that I care. I’m rooting for the Cards of course, but I think probably the Dodgers have the best odds of winning the whole thing. I agree with you about them. Either way we would have been facing Kershaw and Greinke twice–much better to do it in a 7-game series.

But who knows…I can close my eyes and see Barry Zito mowing down Cards last year.

]]>By: spudchukarhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586200
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 22:09:13 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586200Didn’t mean to snub the Reds. A victory Tuesday, leaves them with Latos (I think), and Bailey, two tough customers. Certainly a challenge, but like the Pirates their #4 and #5 Leake and Arroyo have struggled, especially in the homer friendly GAB.
]]>By: spudchukarhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586199
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 22:04:53 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586199Great finish to gain the coveted home field advantage throughout. However, the Pirates scare me, will have Burnett and probably Cole in St. Louis for games #1 and #2. Liriano waits for game #3 or #4. The Pirates weakness at this point is their #4 and #5 starters. Morton probably gets the nod in the game Liriano doesn’t pitch, and then back to Burnett for game #5, if necessary.

Still the Cards are better off in a 7 game tilt against the Dodgers than a 5 game. The Kershaw/Greinke duo will have to pitch at least 3 on the road, and Greinke has a history of struggling in St. Louis, and the Cards handle Kershaw better than most, but he is still a beast.

Hopefully, gaining the home field, and thus WC match-up will pay off. It probably helps but the Pirates in five isn’t much easier than the Dodgers in five. Should be fun. And gut-wrenching.

]]>By: taz101http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586196
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 21:52:02 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586196Matheny should be in consideration, but Hurdle will walk away with the award… and I bet the voting isn’t even close.
]]>By: missingdizhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586194
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 21:45:10 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586194Considering the season-ending injuries to two starters, the closer, and the starting shortstop, along with other injuries (Craig, Molina, Holiday), plus other problems such as Freeze slumping for much of the season, Westbrook wearing out and Mujica melting down, this team has done really, really well. Considering all that, plus dealing with all the rookies on board, Mike Matheny has to be considered seriously for Manager of the Year.
]]>By: dodger88http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586193
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 21:42:40 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586193Anyone taking bets on McCann and Puig getting into some sort of fight?
]]>By: misterj167http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/29/cardinals-grab-top-seed-in-national-league-playoffs/comment-page-1/#comment-586190
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 21:40:19 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=497856#comment-586190As much as I’m a Braves fan, this is why the Cardinals are the Cardinals and the Braves are the Braves. faced with hitting against one of the worst bullpens in baseball yesterday, and against a team that finished 22 games behind them in the regular season, the Braves couldn’t score but one run in 8 innings. The Cards took care of business and weren’t going to let the Cubs win a single game.
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